Break In Sunnyside Murder Case

Police Release Sketches Of 2 Suspects

by Sam Goldman

Sketches of the two suspects being sought in connection with the October murder of Louis Rispoli in Sunnyside. Police have issued sketches of two men believed to beinvolved in the fatal attack of a Sunnyside man on a localstreet corner in October.

Louis Rispoli, 62, was reportedly taking a walk around the neighborhood in the early morning hours on Saturday, Oct. 20, 2012 when two men allegedly approached him and walked alongside him down 43rd Avenue heading toward 41st Street at about 2 a.m.

According to police sources, one of the men then hit Rispoli over the head with a blunt object in front of a nearby apartment building. They then fled the scene in a car driven by an accomplice.

He was pronounced dead five days later at Elmhurst Hospital Center.

Since the incident, a rally was held in his memory and $22,000 in reward money has been offered to anyone with information leading to the arrest of those responsible for the homicide.

One of the suspects shown is believed to be a Caucasian male in his 20s; the other suspect was described as a Hispanic male in his 30s.

At the Tuesday, Jan. 29 meeting of the 108th Precinct Community Council, Deputy Inspector Donald Powers, the precinct’s commanding officer, also announced that law enforcement sources have a description of the getaway car.

The precinct is searching for a two-door white late-model sports car with “very, very bright headlights,” according to Powers, who added that the car has a loud muffler.

“Our community will never forget what these men did to Lou Rispoli,” City Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer, a friend of the Rispoli family, stated in a Jan. 28 press release. “The NYPD’s release of new sketches shows that there is progress being made on this case but it is important we continue to raise awareness as a community. These three suspects think that they got away with a crime that robbed us of a good man who loved his neighborhood. I will not rest until I see these men punished for this heinous crime.”

Anyone with information in regards to the Rispoli investigation is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1- 800-577-TIPS (8477), log onto the Crime Stoppers website at www.nypdcrimestoppers.com or text their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) with the code TIP577.